As court workers and advocates for our communities, we know access to justice is directly tied to income. In the trial court system, when court reporters are not provided, only the wealthy can afford to hire a reporter. Low-income workers, juggling multiple jobs, are unable access justice due to restricted public hours and closed facilities. People who cannot afford money bail often sit awaiting a court date resulting in a loss of income to their household.

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AHS tried to force RNs, LVNs, and CNAs at the Fairmont Skilled Nursing Facility to do a Schedule Rebid. Management’s plan included a reduction in total patient care hours, and would turn many full-time workers into part-time or temporary. Today members at the Fairmont Skilled Nursing Facility protested the rebid and many workers refused to sign on to the scheme to cut care and cut worker hours.

All current SEIU 1021 members are invited to attend our 2018 member convention. The two-day event includes inspiring speakers –trailblazers and activists recognized for their visionary and creative leadership. Even with a jam-packed schedule of workshops and delegate discussions, there will be room for fun and networking.

Days leading up to their contract expiration, Berkeley workers held actions almost every day, often drawing hundreds of workers and their families to rallies. From solid waste workers, analysts, parking enforcement officers, clerical staff to librarians and public nurses, workers came out in full force and assembled picket signs in the city hall lobby. They brought together local elected leaders, members from IBEW, AFSCME 3299, Local 1, and IAFF 1277, and fellow SEIU 1021 members from other chapters to join them in a fight for a fair and equitable contract.

(Berkeley, CA)—More than 400 hundred Berkeley city workers voted to authorize a strike if city administrators fail to reach an agreement with clerical and maintenance workers over safer working conditions and cost-of-living allowances. More than 400 librarians, public nurses, mental health professionals, and city planners and attorneys represented by SEIU 1021 voted on June 14 to join clerical and maintenance workers in a strike if necessary.

Santa Clara University (SCU) adjunct faculty and lecturers are sidestepping the NLRB and calling on University administrators to partner with them in their efforts to build a worker organization. The faculty are requesting the administration agree to hold a speedy, neutral, in-house vote on unionization. SCU President Father Michael Engh is expected to respond to the faculty’s request this week.

Kristin Kusanovich, Senior Lecturer, Theatre and Dance, says “We see both a better climate for student learning and faculty sustainability improving with unionization.”

BERKELEY,CA — City of Berkeley employees and other city, county, schools, healthcare, and nonprofit workers from throughout Northern California joined thousands at the peaceful, non-violent Rally Against Hate on August 27. The rally stage was surrounded by thousands of students, teachers, seniors, and working families rallying to protest against far-right extremists, the white nationalist rally at Berkeley City Hall, and the wave of anti-immigrant federal policies.

Spotlight

SEIU members are calling their US Senators to protest Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Working people know all too well how important the Supreme Court is to upholding key American values,” said SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry. “In just the last few weeks it attacked the rights of working people in the Janus case and enshrined discrimination against immigrants by ruling in favor of the Muslim ban. Judge Kavanaugh is a narrow-minded elitist who would further rig our economy and democracy against working Americans.”

SEIU members will be attending CalSavers Board meeting at the California Treasurers’ office in Sacramento to protest high management retirement fees. High fees that cheat workers out of retirement savings are one more way Wall Street has rigged the economy against working people. On August 16, workers have a chance to fight back and secure a better future for all Californians.

Here are three ways SEIU members can defend retirement security for all:

Last September 2017, SEIU 1021 Education Industry members called on Governor Jerry Brown to bridge the compensation gap during the summer break. Many of our members who work in K-12 do not get paid while school is out for summer. The 2018-19 state budget signed by Governor Brown includes $50 million dollars for a Summer Bridge Fund for classified employees.

In September 2016, Ms. Rob was called in to a meeting by her supervisor. “I asked my supervisor if I should be concerned of any disciplinary action, so I could secure a union steward, and my supervisor told me ‘no’,” said Ms. Rob.

Despite her supervisor’s assurance, Ms. Rob was disciplined at that meeting and she was denied her right to have a union representative.

“It serves our local community to have county workers live locally. When disaster hits, we are there to open the local assistance centers, staff the shelters, clear the roads, answer the call-center phones, and help keep residents’ children and animals safe,” said Janie Camacho in her testimony to The Alliance for A Just Recovery Forum. “We like to do this. And we like to live here. But it is getting too expensive for us to stay.”

The 2018 Green California Advocacy Day will be held on Wednesday, August 8th from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm in Sacramento, followed by a celebratory awards reception from 5:00 – 7:00 pm. This is the environmental community’s annual opportunity to come together and deliver a clear, compelling and consistent message about our priorities to legislators and their staff.

And this is where you come in — we will be fielding teams to meet with dozens of legislative offices on August 8 and our air, land, and water need your voice and powers of persuasion!